


Acting

by ColdAngels



Category: Regular Show (Cartoon)
Genre: ?? Not really haha, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:28:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27359536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdAngels/pseuds/ColdAngels
Summary: Mordecai helps Benson act out a few scenes from his play when his partner falls ill. A self indulgent piece turned part of a College AU I have with these two. Humanised. MxB.
Relationships: Benson/Mordecai (Regular Show)
Kudos: 12





	Acting

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So I wrote this piece awhile ago, but just realised I never posted it here lol. It is incredibly out of character I'm sure since it is a very self indulgent piece....
> 
> But should I write a sequel? Let me know! ^ ^

Benson's distressed voice comes from the kitchen. "Yeah…okay, alright. It's..it's fine, Lee. Yes, I'm sure. Hope you get better soon. Okay. Bye."

He drops his mobile on the counter with a tired sigh.

"Great."

"What's up…?" Mordecai has a mouthful of cereal so his speech is muffled. He doesn't take his eyes from the 90s cartoon.

Benson pinches the bridge of his nose as he turns to him, "Lee has had to cancel our script reading session today."

"Why?"

"He has a stomach bug." He huffs. "I  _ told _ him not to order the pork from that chinese restaurant…"

"What are you going to do?"

"Would you  _ stop _ with the questions…?"

Mordecai frowns as his roommate storms off to his room. He takes another spoonful of cereal, "Geez, I'll try to ignore you next time…"

6 seconds later, Benson walks back into the living room where Mordecai is and stands next to him. He's holding a script which he thrusts in his roommates face.

"I've only got  _ two _ days to memorise this thing, Mordecai."

Mordecai pushes it away with one hand. It's blocking the tv, "So, what'd you want me to do about it?"

"I want you to help me."

" _ Help _ you?" Finally he looks at him. "How?"

Benson smiles. He lets go of the script so it lands in Mordecai's lap, "You can be my partner for today."

Mordecai puts the spoon and bowl on the table in front of him and picks up the script. His eyes scan the title, " _ Stay with Me _ ?"

"I know the entire script by heart. Except for one scene, which I was  _ supposed _ to be rehearsing today with Lee…"

"What's it about?"

Benson takes it back to flip through it. He's trying to find that one scene he mentioned, "You'll find out when you read it - ah! Here." He passes it back to Mordecai's outstretched hand.

Mordecai silently reads through it as Benson fidgets with his fingers. He's watching him closely and his heart is thudding in his ears.

It seems simple enough.

"Well?"

Mordecai looks up at him, "It's just a page."

Benson snorts, "I know. So will you do it?"

"I don't know…I have a big art project due Friday…"

"No you don't, you finished that last week."

Mordecai grins. Since when did he keep track of his assignments due dates…? He stands with a sigh, "Okay, alright, I'll help you."

Bensons face softens and he takes it back, "Thank you. You know I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate." He goes back to his bedroom and Mordecai follows.

"You're a serious neat freak." Despite being an animation student who is up countless hours working assignments, his room is impossibly neat. In amongst the many notebooks and pen holders on his desk, Mordecai can see the opened case of 30 fine tips pens he had gotten Benson last Christmas and he smiles. His art work is plastered all over his walls and they're all done in charcoal; peoples faces, various animals, plants, so many different ones. And they're all rushed.

But somehow they're perfectly done.

And they never fail to take Mordecai's breath away every-time he steps foot in here.

Benson is searching for something underneath his pillow, "You know what they say; opposites attract and all that…"

Mordecai smirks, "Is  _ that _ why we became roommates…? I thought it was because you helped me last minute with one of my extremely late projects. Also because we had to fill out one of those forms, remember?"

Benson casts an amused look his way, "Yes, I remember." He straightens up, a bag of gum in hand. "And just for the record, you're still handing in late projects. So my help was pretty much a waste of time."

"What?" Benson passes him to head to the door. Mordecai turns with a smile and trails after him, "Come on, I passed that class."

"Barely. You had to make up a few missed assignments."

"And I thank you for that."

"Where would you be without me…?"

They stop in the kitchen. Benson gets a glass from the top cupboard and fills it with water.

Mordecai laughs, "Hey, I'm a good student. It was just a really boring class…"

With the script and gum in one hand, water in the other, Benson crosses to the living room. He puts both the bag and glass on the table and holds the script out to him, "Alright. Page 32."

"I know, I know."

Mordecai flips through to it. From the top of the paper, he sees Benson take a deep breath. His eyes dart to the bag of gum but he doesn't take one. Yet.

He puts a finger on the first word then runs it down as Benson starts to move one of the chairs back, "Okay…"

"Obviously my lines are…highlighted, yours aren't - "

"Yeah, I figured."

What seems to be a long minute later, Mordecai places the book, opened, beside the water and him and Benson get into place; Benson sits in the chair and Mordecai has his back to him.

"Ready?"

He hears Benson exhale, "Yip."

With that, Mordecai launches into character as he begins to pace around him, "So…Rochelle is…gone, is she?"

"Yes. She disappeared 3 weeks ago."

"…Is that…the timeframe you're going for?"

Benson shifts in his chair, "…I meant 2 weeks."

Mordecai raises a brow as he meets Bensons eye. Under his gaze, Benson starts to fidget more, "No. 3 weeks."

"It's been a  _ month _ , Nathan."

Benson starts at his voice. He swallows, "Yeah. I - I'm sorry - "

"We can't afford any more mistakes, you  _ know _ this." Benson closes his eyes as Mordecai stops in next to him. "We have 4 days until the trial. I don't want you slipping up - "

"I know, Harley."

There's a purposeful beat. Mordecai runs a hand over his face and Benson watches him.

"What if…they find her…"

"They won't - they  _ can't _ ."

"I - I know, but what…"

Mordecai slams a hand on the kitchen counter. It's not very impactful; they both notice that. But it'll have to do for now. Mordecai's hand is stinging.

Still he carries on with the scene.

He sighs heavily and his voice lowers, "They  _ won't _ . Alright?"

Benson is quiet. He's looking at the carpet. For just a moment, Mordecai breaks character to crouch in front of him, "…Benson, you okay?"

Benson meets his eyes, "What - yes. I'm fine - get back in character-!"

"Oh. Right, sorry."

His roommate looks down again. In seconds he can hear him sniffling. As Harley, Mordecai puts his forefinger under his chin and he gently moves it up so Benson is looking right at him.

"Hey," Mordecai's voice is incredibly soft, "I didn't mean to do that."

Bensons eyes fill with tears. He averts his gaze as they fall, "I know."

"We've just got this last task and then we're free."

"You promise?"

Mordecai's chest feels suddenly tight. The way Benson is looking at him…his forefinger brushing his chin…

"Yeah…I promise."

Benson closes his eyes with a smile. He reaches up to take Mordecai's hand in his and Mordecai's heart leaps.

He's so caught in the moment….until it snaps when Bensons eyes fly open and he lets go of his roommates hand to stand.

"That was…really good. You didn't need the script at all."

Mordecai swallows. He tries to ignore the tug in his gut when he sees Benson wipe his fake tears away.

They've never been that close before.

"The only thing I would say is when you hit the counter, you need to get angrier."

"But I'm not an angry person."

"That's why they call it acting, Mordecai."

He's used his first name many times before. But with what had just occurred…

Mordecai smiles, "Right, right. It's just that…"

"Yeah?" Benson raises a brow to him.

"Well…maybe if I had some context, I'd really know what I'm meant to be doing."

He goes over to the table to pick up the script, "We're best friends, Harley and Nathan, and we've just murdered a girl named Rochelle by accident. The scene we acted out was us in Harleys living room going over what my character - Nathan - is going to say in his interrogation."

"Sounds more like a movie."

Benson rolls his eyes, "Yeah, well, it's a play. Now." He starts to flip through the script and Mordecai frowns.

"Wait, I thought we were only doing one scene."

"Oh…uh, no. There's just another one I wanted to work on with Lee - got it." Marking the page with his thumb, he passes the script over to Mordecai.

"Let me guess; you've memorised this one, too?"

Benson smiles, "We've been practicing it for weeks, alright?"

"Hey, I'm not making fun of you." Mordecai smirks as his eyes go down the page. Unlike before, this one is pretty intense. He should have guessed from how close to the final page it is.

Benson speaks as he goes through it, "So in this one, Harley - you - has just been shot in the chest by Rochelle. She didn't die and instead came back to seek revenge and she shot you when you and I were on the run from the police. We're meant to be in a field with flowers everywhere."

Mordecai snorts, "Okay…"

"I know, it's disgustingly romantic."

"No, it's…interesting."

Benson takes the script right as Mordecai gets to the end, "You're being nice. Alright." He turns to put it back on the table. As he does, he tosses a piece of gum in his mouth.

Mordecai sees and grins, "Nervous?"

"A little bit."

Mordecai wishes he had his own anxious vice.

It could really come in handy right about now.

With that, they get back into character; Mordecai lays on the floor, Benson kneeling over him as he fights back tears.

Mordecai blinks weakly up at Benson, "You have to keep running."

"I'm not leaving you." Bensons lip trembles.

He swallows thickly, "I'll be okay, Nathan."

Benson has tears spilling down his cheeks in seconds. "No. No you won't be. You were just  _ shot _ for gods sake-!" His hands curl into fists and he begins to shake in frustration.

"If you don't go, she'll shoot you too."

Bensons voice comes out desperate, "I don't care. I'm staying with you no matter what happens."

Keeping to script, Mordecai reaches up to cup his cheek. Benson breathes out shakily, "You're such a handful." He chuckles then coughs weakly into his other hand. Benson interlocks their fingers together and grips his hand.

Fierce determination lights in his eyes, "You can't die on me, Harley."

"I might have to."

"Harley. Don't…"

Mordecai smiles. He makes his breathing get shorter and his gaze so warm as he locks on Bensons, "I've had the best 5 months."

Benson wipes his nose, "They've been awful."

"Yeah." He rasps, "But I got to spend them with you."

Mordecai watches as Bensons tears fall onto the floor. He brings the back of his hand to his lips and rests his forehead there.

"Ever the romantic."

"Ever the crier," he counters.

Bensons laugh is choked, "Harley, please don't." He lifts his head up, "What am I gonna do without you?"

Mordecai attempts to shrug, "Carry on. Live life as you were meant to."

"In a jail cell?"

"If it comes to that, sure."

Benson shakes his head, "I don't want to go back."

"You won't have a choice."

Benson bites his lip. His crying is so real that in a way, it scares him.

"I want to stay with you."

"You  _ are _ ."

"I mean I want us to sit in a jail cell together, escape the cops, run around the streets pretending we're invincible."

Mordecai, out of character, raises his head slightly in question. Benson snorts as he tries to fight his laughter, "It's a stupid line."

"Yeah, you definitely didn't write this."

Benson waves a hand so Mordecai rests his head back on the carpet. He makes a deal out of coughing and Benson is back with the waterworks as he puts his lips to Mordecai's hand again.

"I want that too. But it's just not possible, Nathan."

Benson lets out a cry as he curls into himself and sobs begin to wrack his body. Just the sound alone has Mordecai become momentarily dazed in complete and utter amazement.

That is till Benson comes out of it to look at him.

"Come on. Line."

Mordecai swallows. He quickly sinks back into the scene, "Hey."

Benson raises his head. He kisses his hand again then leans his cheek against it, "Yeah?"

He smiles, "You'll find someone else to do all those things with."

"There  _ is _ no one else. There never will be."

"You're right. I  _ am _ one of a kind."

Benson laughs through tears, "You know what I mean."

Mordecai doesn't answer for a few seconds as his eyes search him. His chest feels impossibly tight now. Benson is staring back at him in such a soft manner…

He's so close in believing this to be real.

"I love you, Nathan."

That does it.

Benson loses it right there. His eyes close as he falls on Mordecai' body; anguished cries rip from his throat and his hands lay atop his stomach.

Mordecai finds his lashes are wet with his own tears but he somehow manages to stay in character. The hand that Benson had taken before comes up to rest on his hair. He slowly strokes it.

"Nathan."

At his name, Benson looks up…and throws himself at his chest, his arms winding around his neck.

"I can't lose you, Harley. You mean everything to me."

Mordecai feels a lump sit in his throat. With a start, he realises it's genuine emotion he's getting from Bensons performance, "Nathan…"

Benson pulls back to look him in the eye. Mordecai smiles softly,

"Kiss me."

He doesn't waste any time.

He carefully takes the back of his neck and leans in; the kiss is passionate and gentle and Mordecai can taste salt. His body begins to heat up as he grips Bensons hips and Benson moves more on top of him, his own hands tangling in Mordecai's hair. So much left unsaid is poured into the kiss, Mordecai can feel it.

Yet…he can't tell if it's to do with the characters…or them.

Is Benson still acting?

Is  _ he _ still acting?

The kiss begins to slow as Benson captures Mordecai's bottom lip in his teeth and Mordecai sighs in contentment. His eyes slowly open to see Benson is watching him; his entire face is flushed as he lets go of his lip.

Neither of them speak for a very long minute.

They both lay there panting. Mordecai's eyes are alight. His shirt is a mess and his heart is pounding in his ears. As they look at each-other, Mordecai realises he has something sitting on his tongue. It's an awkward few moments as he reaches over to pluck it out…

The high pitched giggles that follow are met with absolute mortification on Benson's side.

"This sure isn't mine."

Benson finally falls off him onto the carpet. He groans in exasperation as Mordecai pushes himself to stand. Reaching a hand out, Benson takes it and he's pulled up…to be met with Mordecai's lips again.

Benson smiles stupidly as he breaks it to take the gum from Mordecai's other hand. After going to the kitchen to dispose of it in a bin under the sink, he makes his way to the lounge to fall into the sofa.

Mordecai soon follows and sits in the second chair near him. He reaches over for the script.

"How did I do that time?"

Benson doesn't bother to stop the grin on his face, "Better."

"…Really?"

He nods as he reaches over for his glass of water. Mordecai watches him down the rest of it in extreme amusement. He's so flustered.

"Thing is is that…Harley does die in the end."

Mordecai's heart sinks.

"What-? Why?" Bensons eyes go to him, "I mean, why can't Harley and Nathan have a happy ending?"

"Because that's just not how it works.

"But..they have a really good relationship."

Benson tosses the script to him, "You haven't read this entire thing, have you?" Mordecai's catches it in both hands and looks at him in surprise. Bensons voice becomes bitter, "Harley is a manipulative bastard. He drags Nathan into all sorts of shit and Nathan just goes along with it because he's so hopelessly in love with him. Harley does have his good moments - we just acted two of them out - but he's so damaged and brooding that they rarely come up."

Mordecai blinks at him, "Oh."

"Yeah." He sighs and puts a hand through his hair, "I really hate this play. I hate the characters and the situation and Lee is a hopeless partner at times, but…I guess sometimes I like it. These two scenarios for instance." He glances at the script.

"They're not so bad." Mordecai comments.

Benson clears his throat, "…Something else I hate about this play?"

Mordecai looks up at him. Benson smiles.

"Lee is a terrible kisser."

Mordecai bites his lip in embarrassment and Benson gets flashes of having it between his teeth moments before. He looks away to the door.

"I need a cigarette."

His chair scrapes back as he stands and heads to his room. In moments he comes back with a pack clutched in hand. The front door is opened and Mordecai shivers at the cold air wafting in. When it shuts, he's bathed in silence.

Mordecai throws the script back on the table. He considers going out to talk to him but the thought is abandoned when he hears a buzzing from the kitchen.

He gets up to head there. Bensons phone is vibrating on the counter and it would have fallen off had Mordecai not caught it in the last second. The screen reads that Lee is calling him.

He glances back at the door. Should he answer it…?

It keeps ringing. Mordecai realises he has no choice but to press the green button.

"Hello?"

_ "Who's this?" _

"Mordecai. I'm Bensons roommate."

_ "Is that what you're calling yourselves now?" _

"What - "

_ "Look. Listen. Could you just…pass this message onto Benson if he's around?" _

Mordecai waits.

_ "Tell him Lee says he's quitting the play." _

"…What, why?"

_ "None of your business that's why." _

Mordecai leans his back against the counter. He frowns, "Bensons going to want to know."

There's a pause until Lee exhales,  _ "I hate working with him. He always wants things done his own way. And he has this temper, man; I'm sure you've experienced it firsthand, with being his boyfriend and all that - " _

Mordecai's brows furrow, "Boyfriend?"

Lee ignores him,  _ "I've wanted to leave since we started this stupid thing. But no one else would pair up with him. He gives me the cold shoulder a lot." _

_ "But…." _ He sighs.  _ "He's also a really good actor. And you need someone like that, you know? Someone to balance you out. I'm such a shit actor in comparison. Yeah, he's good to have around." _

Mordecai smiles to himself, "Yeah, he is."

_ "Anyway, just tell him all that." _

The line cuts off and Mordecai puts the phone back on the counter. With nothing else to do, he leaves for outside and finds Benson leaning on the balcony. His cigarette is about halfway done and its ash falls to the ground below. He's looking out at their college, so lost in thought he doesn't even notice Mordecai is behind him.

"Hey."

Benson jumps a little but ultimately turns to him, "What're you doing out here? You hate being around me when I'm smoking."

Mordecai moves to stand next to him and rests his arms on the railing, "Lee phoned you."

"Oh, yeah?" He takes a drag. "What'd he say?"

He blows the smoke out to the campus as Mordecai answers, "He's uh…he's quitting the play."

Benson frowns as he flicks some ash onto a large plant, "Did he tell you why?"

"He said he doesn't like working with you. He hates your personality."

He smirks, "A lot of people do." At that he stubs the smoke out and pushes it off the rail. "I'll just have to find another partner."

"He said no one else would pair up with you." Mordecai's eyes search him.

Benson lets out a harsh laugh, "Yeah, well. He's lying." He turns to go back inside. Mordecai follows as he goes to the living room where his bag of gum still sits. He pockets one then walks to the kitchen to get a box of pop tarts down from the pantry.

"Doesn't that bother you?"

He takes two out and puts them in the toaster, "Don't know why it would. It's his problem. Do you want one?"

"Huh? Oh, no thanks."

Benson shrugs, "Like I said, Lee was hopeless anyway. I'm happy he quit."

"Are you?" Benson stops playing with the packet foil, "I know what you said, but…Lee admires you."

He reaches for another top cupboard to grab a plate. "That doesn't mean we're a good fit." He sneers. "The whole class admires me, Mordecai. So do you."

Mordecai tries to ignore the fleeting hurt in his body, "Lee said something else. But it wasn't about the play."

The tarts pop up. He watches the smoke coil in the air a moment but doesn't reply. Mordecai lets out a nervous breath.

"He said…he said I was your boyfriend."

"Really?"

Mordecai smirks, "I didn't know we were going out."

Benson laughs as he turns to face him, "Neither did I."

He dares a few steps towards him and he doesn't say a word until he's right in front of him, "So…what do boyfriends do?"

Without warning, he inches towards the tart and breaks off a corner piece. He giggles as he puts a hand on his chest, his face turning hot.

"Mordecai…"

"Yeah?"

Their eyes meet. Bensons laughter immediately subsides. Mordecai's gaze travels down to a spot of strawberry jam on the corner of his lip. He feels his breath catch as he reaches up to swipe it off.

It's such an unnecessary move.

And yet.

Bensons heart is in his throat, "I…"

His phone suddenly buzzes behind him. Mordecai looks away as Benson turns to grab it. The screen lights up with a text from Lee.

Benson moves off the counter, "It's Lee. He says he's changed his mind about the play." His brows furrow.

"That was fast."

"Yeah…" Benson takes the gum from his pocket and starts chewing as he messages back a response. Mordecai silently watches him go to the living room.

"What're you saying to him?"

He sits on the sofa and drops the phone beside him, "I'm gonna meet him at his apartment Friday to rehearse a couple more scenes."

Mordecai feels the hurt come back, "Oh uh…I thought I was your partner."

He switches the tv on, "Only for today."

Swiping the other pop tart, Mordecai heads over to sit in the chair. Benson slowly chews his as his eyes drink in a british sitcom Mordecai adores.

"If you did drama…maybe you could take Lees place."

Mordecai sighs. He puts his legs over one of the chairs arms and drops his head across the other so he's looking at him, "Did you want to do those scenes again?"

Benson doesn't even glance his way. He finishes off his tart, "No, I think we got them down."

Having no choice but to watch along, Mordecai turns his head. Though he swears he's seen this episode before.

He soon tunes out to watch his roommate.

What had that damn kiss meant…?

Sensing eyes on him, Benson reaches for the remote to turn off the tv, "Why are you staring at me?"

Mordecai shifts to stand, "Do you really want to work with Lee again?

Benson puts a hand to his head as his roommate comes to sit beside him, "Mordecai…"

"He doesn't like you, Benson. He thinks you have a temper and you're cold…"

"Well, he's right." He chuckles in disbelief, "Yes, I'm not an easy person to get along with. But whether or not I like working with him, we still need to get this done." At Mordecai' look, he reaches for the bag full of gum, "I don't care what he thinks about me."

Mordecai falls quiet as he looks at the tv.

Bensons eyes dart around his face. As the seconds go on, his expression grows soft, "I know you're only looking out for me." Mordecai's gaze flickers to him. "But Lee is harmless. He's just an ass, Mordecai."

Mordecai snickers, "Yeah."

He reaches over to squeeze his hand. Mordecai's heart flutters but he squeezes back, not looking at him once.

He unlinks his fingers and gets off the couch, "What do you want for dinner?"

Mordecai misses his touch in an instant. He hopes his voice doesn't betray him as he says, "Spaghetti and meatballs sounds good."

Benson smiles, "We might have the ingredients for that…" He goes to the kitchen and begins rummaging around.

Mordecai spreads out on the couch and takes the remote to switch it back on. Grabbing a cushion from the chair, he lays it underneath his head and rests his hand on his stomach.

With his gaze on the sitcom Benson had been watching earlier, he gradually falls asleep, other hand draped over the side of the couch.

/

He wakes to a plate being put in front of him on the table and the smell of mince immediately wafts around him. He sits up right as Benson takes a seat on the chair near him, balancing his own plate of dinner on his knees.

When he sees Mordecai is awake, he smiles, "Hey."

Mordecai stretches his arms in the air, "Hey." He grabs his food and starts eating as Benson grabs a forkful of spaghetti. "What movie are we watching tonight?"

"Well…Hook's on…"

He grins in amusement as he grabs the remote, "Alright."

After changing the channel, he settles back into the cushion with the plate on his lap. It's not exactly Mordecai's movie but Benson likes it so he'll watch it for his sake.

Benson is quickly engrossed in the film but Mordecai just can't get into it. He keeps finding his gaze drifting to his roommate…how his fingers had lingered on the hem of his shirt hours prior…

He clears his throat and Benson glances over with his brows lowered, but doesn't comment and fixes his attention back on the movie.

Mordecai looks down at his dinner. He just feels so confused right now.

Taking his plate in hand, he pushes himself off the couch. Benson looks over in surprise, "What's wrong?"

His roommate doesn't look his way, "I don't really like Hook that much," he mumbles.

Benson watches him but Mordecai is already walking off to his room. When the door shuts, he goes back to the tv…but he can't seem to concentrate on the movie. His fingers pick at the chairs arms and he leans forward to put his plate on the table, then grabs the remote.

The clock in the kitchen is the only sound in the apartment. Benson waits for the scene where Tink takes Peter to Neverland before going off to Mordecai' room. His door is shut but there's light from his lamp filtering underneath it.

He knocks once, "Mordecai?"

He waits a moment but no answer comes. The movie plays faintly in the background and he turns his head to it; still, the door doesn't open.

A part of him considers knocking again, but instead he presses his ear to the wood and isn't surprised in the slightest to hear a faint scratch of pencil to paper. He smiles and leans on the wall as he waits.

He puts his hand on the doorknob and turns it, "Mordecai…?

His roommate is seated at his desk with his back to him, gone in his thoughts. His pencil is scratching wildly in a notebook and Benson slowly approaches him. As he does, his eyes roam the movie posters on the wall; his favourite films is above his head and he looks at it as he stops just beside him.

To his amusement, Mordecai still doesn't take notice of him.

"Mordecai?"

"Yeah?"

He leans against the wall, "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just…drawing."

Benson nods. He looks at the artwork Mordecai has taped to the wall above his bed; many of them are hurried scribbles but they hold some sort of meaning to him…and they're all in his distinctly messy style.

"Did you want something to drink? We've got beer in the fridge…"

Mordecai turns to a blank page and keeps scribbling, "No, I'm okay."

Benson is quiet as he watches him. He smiles after a moment, "What're you drawing?"

"Something."

"Can I see?" He cranes his neck but Mordecai merely hunches more over his work.

"It's just…vent art."

"Vent art?" Benson frowns, "You haven't drawn that in ages."

Mordecai doesn't say anything.

Eventually, Benson looks to the door where he can see the light from the tv is shining on the couch. He sighs, "I um…I guess if you need me, I'll be in my room." He goes to the doorway and almost steps out until Mordecai's chair shifts back.

"Benson…"

He stops, "Yeah?"

Mordecai pauses and there's a ripping sound as Benson turns around. His roommate crushes it into a ball and tosses it in a metal bin overflowing with previous drawings he's screwed up. Benson doesn't comment, choosing to stay silent.

Mordecai gradually meets his eyes, "Did you want to rehearse another scene?"

Bensons brows furrow, "I only had those two I needed to…"

"Oh…no, I meant…just for fun." Mordecai smiles weakly, "If you're bored or whatever…"

"Oh…right, yeah. Sure." He walks off to the lounge and soon hears Mordecai's footsteps behind him. As they pass the tv, Benson grabs the remote and switches it off before taking the script and opening it to a random page.

Mordecai pads to the kitchen to turn on the lights, "Which scene are you choosing?"

"Hm…" Benson flips through the book as Mordecai comes up beside him. Finally he stops near the middle with a smile, "I love rehearsing this scene." He passes it over.

"Why?"

"I like how it's written."

Mordecai raises a brow as he skim reads it. It's short this time and really sweet; one of those 'good moments' Benson mentioned earlier.

Benson goes to move the couch while Mordecai continues reading. When he feels he's ready, he moves to sit across from him and pretends to be reading a book as Benson slowly exhales.

"Hey, Harley?"

"Mm?" He peers at him over the page, "What're you doing?"

He smiles shyly, "Do you want to dance with me?"

Mordecai snorts as he watches him, "We're in a jail cell."

Benson shrugs, "So…?"

"So there's no room?"

Benson bites his lip and lowers his head, hands behind his back. When no reply comes, he looks up to see Mordecai is staring at him, a wondrous expression on his face.

"Line?"

Mordecai puts the book in front of his eyes, "Oh…" Then he takes it away and his voice goes soft, "You're an idiot…" As the script says, he puts it beside him before standing and Benson extends a hand to clasp his. Mordecai's heart soars, but he ignores it to concentrate.

Benson gently pulls him towards him and Mordecai places both hands on his waist. They both slowly begin to rock from side to side.

Mordecai smiles as Benson links their fingers together then tugs him closer so their noses are touching. Benson closes his eyes as Mordecai's lips brush his.

The kiss is softer this time, and more careful. Hands together, Mordecai backs them into the couch, where he falls into the cushion with Benson on top of him.

Benson frowns, confused, "Mordecai, this isn't…"

Mordecai kisses him again and Benson places both palms on his chest. He sighs as he slowly breaks it. Resting his head under his chin, he closes his eyes, "You can't go off script."

Mordecai rests his hands at his sides, "I just wanted to try something…"

Benson pushes his head up to look at him. It gradually starts to come together in his mind, "Is…Is that why you were upset before?"

Mordecai gaze cuts to him but he doesn't answer. Bensons face falls, "I'm sorry, Mordecai. I didn't know."

A lump comes into his throat as he gently moves away from him. Benson turns to sit beside him, his roommates touch slowly leaving him. Mordecai doesn't look his way.

"I really thought you…were…"

Benson picks up the script. He begins to fiddle with one of the loose staples, "I'm…" He lets out a breath before trying again, "I'm interested in Lee, Mordecai." At saying his name, Benson feels tears push through and he raises a hand to wipe his eyes.

Mordecai's cheeks are hot. It just…suddenly makes sense now.

The entire day.

"It's a fitting play." He sniffs. Mordecai feels suddenly dizzy and his chest aches.

"Does Lee know?"

Benson shakes his head, "No. I think he's straight anyway." Emotion wells in his throat and he swallows, but the tears come regardless, "I didn't mean to - "

"No, it…it wasn't…" Mordecai exhales, "You had to practice those scenes, it…it was stupid of me to assume we…" He stops when he feels himself coming close to tears.

He's so…heartbroken.

Benson sighs again as he curls up at the end of the couch. Soon he feels Mordecai push himself up and watches him walk to his bedroom before stopping at his doorway.

…

"…You're a really good actor, Benson."

The door shuts behind him and the light in his room instantly clicks off.

Benson buries his head in the couches arm and gradually cries himself to sleep.


End file.
